Chapter 80 Why fear death tomorrow?
Li Pan handed the secret letter to Lou Xueying.
Lou Xueying gripped the rolled-up paper tightly, her face deathly pale.
Now that things had come to this, Li Pan laughed in fury: "It seems we were all wrong. Susu, he didn't settle accounts with the Empress's family, but instead wants to settle accounts with me first."
To pin the Crown Prince's death on him, they'll probably use the pretext of investigating the case to summon him back to the capital. But what awaits him if he returns?
Lou Xueying trembled: "Father, Mother, and the others..."
"Don't panic. Since it's just a house arrest, your lives should be safe," Li Pan said. "It's just that we can't contact them right now, so we'll have to figure it out ourselves."
Lou Xueying slowly lowered her head and gritted her teeth.
That night, Li Pan and his mother had a long talk by candlelight.
After we finished talking, we went back to our room, and it was already past 1 AM.
Lou Xueying sat on the bed and asked softly, "What did you tell Mother?"
Li Pan sat down and put his arm around her shoulder.
“She already knew that the Crown Prince had taken a liking to you because of a chance encounter with a commoner,” Li Pan said. “Then today I told her that you met the Emperor through the zither before your marriage. Neither he nor his son can let you go, so they keep pressuring me.”
Lou Xueying: "Did she...did she..."
"No." Li Pan kissed her cheek. "Susu, my mother doesn't blame you."
When Li's mother heard everything Li Pan said, she was first shocked, and then she couldn't help but shed tears.
She was just an ordinary peasant woman. Her son becoming a general and being granted a marquisate was something she never dared to dream of. Now, when she learned that her son had gotten himself killed because of his marriage, and that he had no way out and no other choice, she felt as if the sky was falling.
She had been honest and hardworking her whole life, never imagining that one day her son would go down such a path.
In her view, this was not only outrageous, but also tantamount to suicide.
But if we don't take this path, we will still die.
But she had been the old lady of the general's mansion for many years, and her perspective was no longer what it used to be. She did not try to persuade Li Pan to turn back, but instead held his hand tightly, tears streaming down her face, and expressed her fear and sorrow to him.
Li Pan asked her, "Mother, will you blame Susu for this?"
Mother Li choked back tears, saying, "Shitou, I'm so scared... If I had known this would happen, I would never have let you marry her. It has nothing to do with what she did; it's just that I'm too cowardly to take such a risk... But what's the use of saying all this now? It's His Majesty and the Crown Prince who won't let her go, won't let you go... Susu is a kind and good child. I was happy in the capital, mostly thanks to her. I could tell she wasn't trying to please me, but genuinely cared for me. I learned many characters from her, which made my life much easier... Because of the Crown Prince, she felt indebted to you, and even tried to commit suicide... How could I blame her after all that? You two know more than I do; the decision you made must be the best one. If... if we're unlucky, then it wouldn't be so bad if our whole family died together."
Lou Xueying's eyes reddened upon hearing this.
"Shh," Li Pan said, "I'll be very busy these next few days. Before the emperor's men arrive in the Northwest, I must hurry. There's a lot to do: military supplies, provisions, and so on. These things can't be kept secret from those below."
Lou Xueying: "Are you going to tell them directly that you... are going to rebel?"
This taboo word finally came out of her mouth.
Li Pan said softly, "Most people don't know why I returned to the Northwest, but my deputy generals do. They know that I was forced into this situation."
"They can't be the only ones who know!" Lou Xueying said urgently. "It's clearly not your fault, you can't be the one to be called a traitor! Li Pan, I will never let you be a traitor and bear the infamy you don't deserve! If we raise an army, there will inevitably be casualties, but that's not our intention! It's not that we're disregarding the people to satisfy our own ambitions! You haven't been arrogant and self-important, you haven't disregarded the law, and those two, father and son, haven't been raising a tiger to cause trouble! They were the ones who first disrespected the important border generals who risked their lives for Dayue! They're the ones who forced us into this situation!"
Li Pan stared at her blankly.
Lou Xueying: "Tomorrow I will arrange for people to spread the word about what the Crown Prince did. As for the Emperor, that's fine, since it's all from the past life and there's no concrete evidence in this one. But the Crown Prince's actions must be known to everyone! Your loyal soldiers must know what kind of injustice their general has suffered in the capital! The people here who wholeheartedly love you must know how their benefactor has been treated in the capital! Only then will they believe that you haven't changed, that you are still the person they can trust and follow, and that it is the Emperor and the Crown Prince who have betrayed your loyalty!"
Li Pan: "But this is for you..."
"Didn't you tell me back then that the people of the Northwest are known for their fierce and untamed nature, and that we don't need to care about this kind of reputation?" she said tearfully. "Li Pan, I don't care now, so why do you care?"
Li Pan remained silent.
Love gives rise to sorrow, and love gives rise to fear.
He used to think she was always timid and hesitant, which was unnecessary. But after learning about her past, he finally understood her cautiousness and didn't want her to suffer any more harm, even if she herself could accept it.
If the rebellion succeeds, he himself will be the biggest beneficiary.
He had read many history books; throughout history, rebels had used countless slogans, and he only needed to find one to refer to. So what if he was branded a traitor? Historically, truly successful traitors ascended the throne without any coercion, relying solely on their ambition. As long as he was a good emperor, soon no one would care about the initial accusations of "traitor," and history would only praise his courage and wisdom.
No one knows whether the future will bring success or failure.
But he didn't want his success to come at the expense of her reputation.
He didn't want his failure to cause her to become a femme fatale in the eyes of future generations.
“Li Pan.” She hugged him tightly and murmured, “I’m not afraid of rumors, I’m only afraid of not being able to be with you. We must be upright and honest, expose their hypocritical faces, and let the world know that they… do not deserve to be in that position at all.”
"Swish, swish..." He could no longer hold back, his eyes welling up with tears, "If I fail..."
“It’s okay if we fail,” Lou Xueying said. “If you die, I will die with you. Li Pan, death is not scary. It’s just a matter of a moment. Maybe when we open our eyes again, we will have lived a third life. We have such a deep bond in this life. You must believe that we can be reborn together in the next life and remember everything together. At that time, we will not fail again.”
She cupped his face and kissed him.
She had never been so proactive before, even with a hint of desperate urgency, as she sat on his lap.
Li Pan paused for a moment, then pressed down on the back of her head and responded even more forcefully.
All the repression, fear, anger, confusion, and the courage that required constant self-reminders to persevere, all transformed into an almost frenzied possessiveness and devotion at this moment.
They intertwine, overturn, affirm, and merge with each other.
Sweat and tears mingled together, making it impossible to tell whose sweat it was.
The ultimate pleasure bursts forth at the edge of the senses, and their fates, too, may have come to an end.
But as long as they are still together, what is there to fear about dying tomorrow?
-
The news of General Li's wife being humiliated by the Crown Prince in the capital gradually spread throughout the Northwest. General Li's return this time was not a triumphant homecoming, but rather a furious departure from the capital.
While the people of the Northwest are more open-minded than those in the capital, they are not so open as to accept a man forcibly abusing a married woman. Moreover, these are not two ordinary citizens, but the crown prince abusing the wife of a border general! This is no longer a minor issue of personal moral failings; it is a matter of national importance!
"How could the Crown Prince do such a thing? He has no shortage of women, so why does he have to pester the General's wife?"
"It's all because the lady is beautiful! The Crown Prince can't resist a pretty woman, he doesn't care who you are!"
"Do they even respect the General? If it weren't for the General, would we be able to live here peacefully? Would those nobles be able to enjoy their lives in the capital? How could they treat the General and his wife like this!"
"I heard that the lady committed suicide the next day. If the general hadn't saved her in time, she probably wouldn't have survived!"
"What? Such a thing happened? It even drove someone to suicide. What a terrible injustice that must have been!"
"Madam has visited our shop before. She has a lovely voice and a good temper. We would joke with her, but she wouldn't understand or get angry. She would just look at us and smile, like a fairy. Why did she have to encounter something like this?"
"Isn't it said that the lady is the daughter of some high-ranking official? With such a background and a husband like a general, even he couldn't protect her? Then what hope is there for us ordinary people to survive!"
"Is there no law left? Doesn't the crown prince fall under the law?"
"Why should the general suffer such humiliation in the capital? It's better to come back!"
Li Pan has been living in the military camp these days, not in his residence. He has been stricter with the training of his soldiers and has also replaced their armor and weapons with new ones.
He sat in the main tent with several of his deputy generals and trusted guards, including Wu Zhao, exchanging silent glances.
Outside the tent, the soldiers' shouts were deafening. Despite the bitter cold, everyone's face seemed to be filled with pent-up anger, as if they couldn't stop until they vented it.
The recent rumors had reached the ears of the military, but they dared not discuss them due to military discipline. However, Li Pan held great prestige in the army, and everyone respected him. When his wife and the general were humiliated, it was as if they themselves had been humiliated, and a great deal of resentment burned in their hearts.
They fought valiantly on the battlefield, and while they might not claim to be entirely devoted to their country and people, they at least gave their all to earn military merit. Li Pan, born into a farming family, rose through the ranks based on his military achievements; this was the living, breathing goal they all strived for.
But reality tells them that even a general like Li Pan, who has been granted the title of Marquis, is still subject to humiliation by the royal family when he arrives in the capital, and he cannot even protect his own family.
What's the point of their struggle then?
Li Pan sat in the tent, looking at the people in front of him, and slowly said, "Judging from the time, the people from the capital will arrive in four or five days."
The people in this large tent were all his most important people, and they already knew that he had been forced into this situation. At this moment, they all slowly clenched their fists.
"General, you saved my life. Without you, I wouldn't be where I am today! I'm willing to follow you!" a lieutenant said through gritted teeth. "But there's something I don't understand. I've heard that His Majesty has long harbored the intention to eliminate the Crown Prince. Could it be that His Majesty is using this as an excuse to get rid of the Crown Prince and frame you? But what exactly did you do to anger His Majesty? Doesn't His Majesty care about the safety of the border?"
Li Pan twitched the corner of his mouth.
"Where did I offend His Majesty..." he said quietly. "There are some things I didn't want to say, but my wife said that you are the most important people in my life. Without you, I could not have accomplished anything. She told me that I should be honest with you."
Hearing him say that, everyone tensed up.
Li Pan: "Do you remember that time when the emperor said something had happened at the border and ordered me to return to the border immediately to wipe out those foreign tribes?"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Li Pan chuckled softly and said, "Later I learned that on the very day I left the capital, he had forcibly summoned my wife to the palace. This emperor loved playing the zither, and my wife happened to be exceptionally skilled at it. They had met through the zither but were unaware of each other's true identities. It wasn't until after the marriage was arranged that the emperor discovered who my wife was."
A collective gasp filled the air.
This general's wife is so powerful... she can provoke both the emperor and the crown prince at the same time?
Everyone looked at each other, dumbfounded. Even Wu Zhao and the others were stunned. They often saw the lady and the marquis being affectionate, and they never imagined that there was such a thing behind the scenes.
“My wife has a strong personality and doesn’t obey him. He was afraid something would happen, so he let her go for the time being,” Li Pan said. “But now it’s clear that this ‘temporary’ period is over.”
The tent was completely silent.
Li Pan: "My wife's good looks are not her fault. Her outstanding talent is not her fault either. None of you have had an easy life, so you should know what it feels like to suffer for no reason. They forced me to this point, and I had no other choice."
“I know what kind of person the lady is, and I know even better what kind of person the Marquis is!” Wu Zhao spoke first, clasping his hands in a fist salute. “The royal family is corrupt and foolish, framing loyal officials for their own selfish desires. It is truly chilling! I am willing to dedicate myself to paving a new path for the Marquis and for the world!”
The lieutenant who had spoken earlier snapped out of his daze and immediately retorted angrily, "This humble general was unaware of such inside information! This humble general is willing to follow the Marquis to the death and bring justice to the Marquis!"
The crowd inside the tent was filled with indignation and responded enthusiastically.
Li Pan glanced at them.
These were people who had risked their lives for him and were utterly loyal. But he wasn't sure whether their support for him was genuine or forced by circumstances, given that he was about to do such a treasonous thing.
After a long silence, he said, "Very well, thank you all. I, Li Pan, will be forever grateful for your help today and will not dare to fail you. If we succeed in the future, I will repay you tenfold. I hope you will not disappoint me, nor my wife."
Everyone agreed.
Li Pan's gaze passed over them, through the closed tent curtains, as if looking towards the vast and boundless horizon.
There are ultimately too many differences between being a general guarding the border, a leader of a rebellion, and an emperor who controls the entire court.
He dislikes beating around the bush when talking to people, but now he's learned to say only half of what he means and leave the other half unsaid.
Li Pan closed his eyes.
However, he can only move forward; he cannot turn back.
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